Cibola NF & National Grasslands’ – North Fire at 5,295 acres

Magdalena, NM; May 31, 2016 – The North Fire on the Magdalena Ranger District had minimal fire spread yesterday, and is now approximately 5,295 acres. The lightning-caused fire is located in the San Mateo Mountains, 5 miles east of Grassy Lookout and 25 miles southwest of Magdalena, NM. The North Fire is being actively managed for multiple resource benefits.

Aerial and hand ignitions continued yesterday to clean up interior pockets of unburned fuel on the north and southeast side of the fire. The fire continues to burn in pine stringers throughout the management area. Fire behavior continues to smolder and creep along the ground through grass and brush. The fire continues to provide for improved ecosystem health and resilience. As the North Fire continues to burn, fire behavior and effects are continuously being assessed to assure incident objectives are being met. 131 fire personnel are assigned to the fire.

The weather forecast over the North Fire on Tuesday calls for a chance of afternoon and evening thunderstorms with dry lightning and possible wetting moisture. Smoke continues to be visible from I-25 south of Socorro, NM. Local communities surrounding Magdalena, NM continue to experience drifting smoke and haze in the afternoon and evening. The New Mexico Department of Health provides a visibility test to determine smoke impacts in your area on their website at: https://nmtracking.org/fire. The New Mexico Air Quality Bureau has placed a smoke monitor at the Magdalena Ranger District Administrative Site, located off County Road 107, in Magdalena, NM. The smoke monitoring website is: http://app.airsis.com/USFS/

A temporary Area Closure Order has been issued in the vicinity of the North Fire. All National Forest System lands, roads, and trails within the closure area are closed to public use.